Episode
                  15: To the Battleground Antarctica 
                  Airing Date
                  2000-03-24
               
            Pretty cool episode. One simple yet clear story which had everything 
            you want in a "Gundam Wing." Action for bullet fans, politics for 
            those who prefer the cloak and dagger routines and new stuff -- like 
            infighting between different members of OZ -- which keeps us on the 
            edge of our seats. Plus there was a pretty cool motorcycle chase 
            where Trowa does his best Tom Cruise imitation. And it didn't cost 
            nearly nine dollars. We like TV cause it's free and it comes to us. 
            Here's the scoop -- Trowa and Heero have finally visited every last 
            living relative of Field Marshal Noventa and (surprise!) none of 
            them have taken Heero up on his offer to kill him in cold blood. 
            Just as the boys are mulling over what to do next, they realize 
            they're being followed. Trowa temporarily loses their tail with some 
            super cool motorcycle stunts that would've had John Woo salivating. 
            Somehow Lucrezia Noin finds them and makes them an offer too bizarre 
            to believe -- Zechs has invited them both to his secret base on the 
            South Pole for a Mobile Suit rematch. Heero, possibly still 
            suffering a concussion, accepts. The three of them board a shuttle 
            and head for snow-ville. 
            Now what's cool is that even some of Noin's own soldiers wonder what 
            the heck's going on. It's pretty ridiculous that Zechs is wasting 
            all this time and money rebuilding his enemy's Gundam suit just so 
            the two guys can step into the ring again. I mean, c'mon! Even 
            Treize is starting to wonder about his right-hand man. Actually, in 
            a deplorable use of heavy-handed symbolism, Treize prevents a young 
            mother from scooping up her baby who's dangerously close to falling 
            off a pier. The child dangles over the edge and then, miraculously, 
            pulls back and takes its first step. I gather this is supposed to 
            mean that Treize can trust that Zechs won't mess up... unless it 
            means that Zechs is about to take his first baby steps. Maybe Zechs 
            needs new diapers. Whatever. The stunt is beneath both the "Gundam 
            Wing" writers and their loyal (and intelligent) audience members. 
            Later, when Noin, Trowa and Heero approach the South Pole, pesky OZ 
            Investigator Agato sends many Mobile Suits to stop them. A battle 
            ensues where Noin sacrifices herself so that the two young Gundam 
            pilots will reach their destination. Amazingly, the dude Noin leaves 
            in charge of the shuttle turns around to rescue his commanding 
            officer. Hard to believe, huh? Trowa's totally right when he tells 
            the guy he's weak and has messed up. Trowa's then forced to go out 
            in his Heavyarms to wipe out Agato and his troops. Noin's saved and 
            Trowa's arm (or hand) is suddenly injured. 

                  Cool, I'm just like Tom Cruise in MI:2! 
            So let's take stock -- Heero and Trowa are both hurting, they've 
            bonded with Noin, Agato's a snowcone and Treize is comparing Zechs 
            to a kid who wears diapers. In the After Colony years, this amounts 
            to a good time. If only Relena would go back to school and leave 
            Heero alone. Guess every saga's got to have its Jar Jar Peacecraft, 
            right? 

            --Ross Brooks wonders how Relena can fly all over the world when 
            she's just 15.